Reinforced step well

ABSTRACT

A railway passenger vehicle supplied with door openings at each side thereof and in the area adjacent the wheel trucks. The side sills are interrupted to provide for below the sill discharge steps and include reinforcing tubular beam members which interconnect the spaced side sill portions and include transversely extending reinforcing tubes to thereby provide a side sill which has a depressed step sill portion and is rigidified to possess the integral strength of a continuous side sill member yet providing the flexibility to the railway vehicle of a ground discharge step assembly.

United States Patent [191 Kunst Oct. 7, 1975 REINFORCED STEP WELL Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. 76 I t. Rbt.K t,ll407Id 1 nven or g g 60628 lana Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard J. Myers [22] Filed: Aug. 22, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 499,700 ABSTRACT A railway passenger vehicle supplied with door open- L u ings at each side thereof and in the area ad acent the 2 105/443 13 2933 wheel trucks. The side sills are interrupted to provide [58] Fie'ld 443 447 for below the sill discharge steps and include reinf0rc- 105/448 413 2;, 6 ing tubular beam members which interconnect the spaced side sill portions and include transversely extending reinforcing tubes to thereby provide a side sill [56] ERefel-ences Cited which has a depressed step sill portion and is rigiditied UNIT D STATES PATENTS to possess the integral strength of a continuous side sill 799,325 9/1905 Gibbs 105/398 member yet providing the flexibility t0 the railway vel a t y hicle of a ground discharge step assembly.

C can, r. 1,353,102 9/1920 War-field 105/398 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U.S.' Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,910,201

US. Patent Oct.7,1975 Sheet30f3 3,910,201 a REINFORCED STEP WELL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to railway passenger vehicles and in particular to the step structure and associated reinforcing members connected therewith.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art step well reinforcing arrangements have included conventional bracing means such as the connecting members which allow the side sill to drop beneath the steps and includes reinforcing connections to compensate for this opening in the side sill structure. The applicants invention, however, provides transversely extending members which connect the step well and the associated step structure with both the center sill and the step well structure transversely positioned across the vehicle.

SUMMARY This invention relates to railway passenger vehicles and, in particular, to those vehicles having a depressed step well structure which interrupts the longitudinally extending side sill and provides the passenger vehicle with a two level discharge capability by permitting platform discharging as well as ground discharge of passengers. The structure involved with the present invention includes a longitudinally extending side sill having an opening therein for positioning of a discharge step assembly and includes structure interconnecting the spaced side sill portions which include generally diagonally extending tubular members interconnected by a step sill member comprised of a pair of tube sections positioned at right angles which defines a bottom step as well as a structural beam interconnecting the base side sill extensions. Additionally, the reinforced step well includes diagonally and transversely extending crossbearer members which provide lateral stability to the step well and rigidify the side sill by connecting the step well with a rigid center sill and also with the transversely positioned associated discharge step assembly. By interconnecting the spaced discharge step assemblies with the transversely extending connecting beam, the forces distributed between the extreme sides of the vehicle are easily dumped into the center sill and other car structure.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a railway vehicle having a ground discharge feature which includes a reinforced step well positioned inwardly of the supporting truck members and includes a step sill center vertically spaced from the interrupted side sill unit and interconnected therewith by connecting diagonals which retain the compressive load strength of the side sill unit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a railway passenger vehicle having a step well assembly which includes a step sill unit having a tubular beam configuration comprising a bottom step tube and a perpendicularly attached reinforcing tube and said step sill assembly providing compressive strength to the side sill unit as well as vertical strength to the car body.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a railway passenger vehicle having a step well assembly and including transversely extending diagonally arranged tube members connecting with the step sill unit and with the center sill and continuing to extend transversely across the vehicle thereby interconnecting the aligned spaced step well unit.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a step well reinforcing beam unit which includes transversely extending tubular members including a top beam member extending the width of the railway vehicle and interconnecting the spaced side sill unit and extending beneath the longitudinally extending center sill member. The transversely extending reinforcing units also include transversely and downwardly extending tubular reinforcing beams extending from the junction of the center sill and the transversely and horizontally extending reinforcing beam downwardly to the reinforced tubular step sill unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a diagonally extending tubular reinforcing beam extending from the step sill unit upwardly to the associated transversely extending crossbearer beam member and being rigidly connected to said crossbearer member.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from reference to the following description, attached drawings and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of a railway passenger vehicle which utilizes the reinforced step well structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken generally along line 22 of FIG. ll;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged and removed portion of the step well shown on the railway vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken generally along line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a pictorial illustration of the reinforcing beam structure utilized with the step well of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there is disclosed a railway passenger vehicle of the commuter type which includes a body portion 10 supported on the usual shock absorbing wheel trucks 12. The railway vehicle 10 includes four discharge door openings 14 for ingress and egress of passengers from the passenger vehicle 10. The door opening 14 includes a structure which provides a two level discharge capacity to the vehicle 10 by providing for platform loading and for ground loading and unloading of passengers. The door opening 14 has a depressed sill and step unit designated by the numeral 16 which provides for ground loading and unloading of passengers. I

Structurally the railway passenger vehicle includes a longitudinally extending center sill unit 18 comprising a pair of spaced sill members interconnected by a bottom connecting plate 19. A side sill unit is positioned along the transverse margin of the railway vehicle and includes end side sill portions 20 and intermediate or central side sill portions 22 which extend longitudinally of the vehicle between the door unit 14. The end side sill portion 20 extends from the end sills to the door units 14. Because the railway vehicle has a ground dis charge capability the side sill must be interrupted to provide for the utilization of a step well unit.

A side sill continuation unit which permits a continuous structural unit to be positioned about the step well members is designated by the numeral 24 and best disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 5. This continuation 24 essentially drops the center sill below the discharge step while retaining the structural integrity of a continuous sill unit by providing structural tubular elements which contain the compressive and vertical beam strength of a continuous side sill. The structural members involved with the sill continuation unit 24 are a step sill member 25 which forms the first step of the step well unit and is a tubular member extending across the step area and under the side sill portion and 22. Associated with the step sill portion is a interconnected reinforcing tube 26 which is positioned at right angles to the step sill and immediately adjacent thereto. The reinforcing tube 26 combines with the step sill 25 to thereby form the horizontal and vertical portions of the first step. Extending diagonally upwardly from the step sill members 25, 26 are second and third connectors 28 which extend upwardly and away from the step sill portion to connect with the central side sill portions 22. On the opposite side of the step opening a first vertical connector 30 and a fourth associated diagonal connector 32 connect with both the step sill portion 25, 26 and extend upwardly therefrom to interconnect with the end side sill portion 20. Thus it can be seen that the reinforcing step sill in combination with the associated connected members provides structure to the side sill portion 20, 22 which compensates for the door opening which has been cut into the side sill. These reinforcing members are tubular beams which may be fabricated from similar U-shaped units which are joined together to form a hollow box shaped beam member. The beams structure provides a lightweight yet strong assembly. These tubular structural members are covered by cover panels 34, 35 which may be aluminum or stainless steel sheet portions which provide an attractive outer skin to the railway vehicle. The cover panel 35 may also include a pair of openings which provide steps 36 for maintenance personnel to ride on the vehicle or inspect the inside thereof. These step assemblies 36 include spaced side walls 37, 38 which are V-shaped angle members which additionally provide structural integrity to the step well unit by rigidifying the cover panel 35 and the interconnected rear cover panel 39 which is extending vertically approximately intermediate the inner and outer portions of the diagonal tubular beams 28. A rear bracer plate 40 is welded to the inner sides of the tubular beams 28 thereby combining with the cover panel 39 to provide a diagonally extending tubular beam which interconnects the tubular beam members 28.

This step well assembly is further stabilized and rigidified by transversely extending beam members including a top cross bearer unit 42 and an associated lower diagonally extending cross bearer 43. These members are disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 5 where it is noticed that the upper cross bearers 42 are continuous members having a lower central portion and transversely extending arms extending upwardly from the central portion towards the associated side sill portions 20, 22. The central portion 44 is rigidly attached to the underside of the central sill unit 18. Transition connecting wedges 45 are positioned at the end portions of the upper cross bearer 42 to proxide a flat attaching surface between the crossbearer 42 and the sill continuation unit 24.

The diagonal! extending crossbearers 43 extend downwardly from a connection point with the upper crossbearer 42 to connect with the step reinforcing tube 26. These diagonal crossbearers 43 are designed to intersect the center sill for force transmission purposes, however they are connected only to the upper crossbearer 42.

Thus it is seen the applicant has provided with his present invention a lightweight yet very strong and rigid step well reinforcing unit made up of a plurality of diagonally extending and interconnecting tube members which form a side sill connection unit and which are further interconnected with transversely extending reinforcing units to provide lateral stability to the step well beam structure.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway passenger vehicle having a discharge door providing for passenger discharge at a platform level and having an associated step well unit providing for passenger discharge at a lower ground level,

the vehicle having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending side sills, one of the side sills having an end sill portion and an intermediate sill portion, each of the sill portions being coaxial with the other and longitudinally spaced apart, and

the step well unit rigidly interconnecting the end sill and the intermediate sill,

an improvement in the step well unit comprising:

a step well beam means, said step well beam being a beam spaced below the end sill and the intermediate sill and longitudinally horizontally extending,

a plurality of upwardly extending connector means,

each having an upper end and a lower end,

said connector means including a first connector having its lower end rigidly secured to said step well beam means and its upper end rigidly secured to said end sill,

said connector means including second and third connectors, each having its lower end rigidly secured to said step well beam means and its upper end secured to said intermediate sill,

a step reinforcing tube rigidly interconnecting the lower ends of said connectors,

transversely extending upper bearer beams interconnecting said side sills, and

each of said cross beams including a downwardly extending portion rigidly secured to said step reinforcing tube.

2. The invention according to claim 1, said second and third connectors extending diagonally upwardly from said step well beam means in one direction,

and a fourth connector connected to the lower end of said first connector and extending diagonally upwardly in an opposite direction and including an upper end connected to said end sill.

3. The invention according to claim 1, and said connector means are hollow beams UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,"10, 7n]. Dated October 7, 1975 Inventor(s) Kunst It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

[73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated,

Chicago, Ill.

Signed and Scaled this twenty- D a y of January 19 76 [SEAL] A ttes t:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Offic Commissioner of Patents and Trademarkx 

1. In a railway passenger vehicle having a discharge door providing for passenger discharge at a platform level and having an associated step well unit providing for passenger discharge at a lower ground level, the vehicle having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending side sills, one of the side sills having an end sill portion and an intermediate sill portion, each of the sill portions being coaxial with the other and longitudinally spaced apart, and the step well unit rigidly interconnecting the end sill and the intermediate sill, an improvement in the step well unit comprising: a step well beam means, said step well beam being a beam spaced below the end sill and the intermediate sill and longitudinally horizontally extending, a plurality of upwardly extending connector means, each having an upper end and a lower end, said connector means including a first connector having its lower end rigidly secured to said step well beam means and its upper end rigidly secured to said end sill, said connector means including second and third connectors, each having its lower end rigidly secured to said step well beam means and its upper end secured to said intermediate sill, a step reinforcing tube rigidly interconnecting the lower ends of said connectors, transversely extending upper bearer beams interconnecting said side sills, and each of said cross beams including a downwardly extending portion rigidly secured to said step reinforcing tube.
 2. The invention according to claim 1, said second and third connectors extending diagonally upwardly from said step well beam means in one direction, and a fourth connector connected to the lower end of said first connector and extending diagonally upwardly in an opposite direction and including an upper end connected to said end sill.
 3. The invention according to claim 1, and said connector means are hollow beams. 